US Special Forces Storm Caracas and Capture Maduro | WATCH
Trump warned Maduro again and again, but he refused to listen. And now he's paying the price.
In a stunning display of military precision and power, United States special forces executed a high-stakes operation in the early hours of Saturday, capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, amid a barrage of airstrikes on the capital city of Caracas. The raid, dubbed by observers as the "Maduro Capture Op," marks a dramatic escalation in U.S.-Venezuela tensions and has sent shockwaves through the international community.
Eyewitness footage captured the chaos unfolding under the cover of darkness: explosions lighting up the night sky as U.S. aircraft targeted key installations, including military bases, oil refineries, the National Assembly building, and even the mausoleum of former President Hugo Chávez in Cuartel de La Montaña. Planes and drones swarmed the airspace over Caracas, deploying elite troops in a swift disembarkation maneuver that overwhelmed Venezuelan defenses. Videos circulating online show plumes of smoke rising from the port of La Guaira, where significant damage was inflicted by precision strikes, crippling infrastructure critical to the Maduro regime.
President Donald Trump announced the operation on social media shortly after its execution, stating that Maduro and Flores had been "captured and flown out of the Country" in coordination with U.S. law enforcement. cbsnews.com Sources confirmed that the U.S. Army's Delta Force, the military's premier special mission unit, led the ground assault, dragging the couple from their bedroom in a meticulously planned raid.
Maduro, indicted in March 2025 on drug trafficking and weapons charges, is en route to New York to face trial in Manhattan federal court. latimes.com A photo purportedly showing Maduro in custody aboard the USS Iwo Jima has surfaced, depicting the deposed leader in restraints as he heads toward U.S. soil.
The operation was not without cost. Reports indicate that some American personnel were injured when a helicopter came under fire during the extraction phase. On the Venezuelan side, casualties were heavier: the Defense Minister and several high-ranking officials are believed to have been killed in the strikes, prompting a state of emergency declaration. Venezuelan forces responded by detaining civilians near critical sites, heightening the atmosphere of fear in the capital. U.S. troops reportedly seized control of Simón Bolívar International Airport, securing a vital exit point for the captured leaders
The timing of the raid adds an intriguing layer of geopolitical intrigue. Just hours before the strikes, Maduro had met with a special envoy from Chinese President Xi Jinping in Caracas. The status of the Chinese delegation remains unclear, raising questions about potential international ramifications.
Global reactions have been swift and condemnatory. Cuba labeled the action "state terrorism," while the United Nations Security Council has been convened for an emergency session. Maduro's government decried the strikes as an "imperialist attack," vowing resistance even as their leader was whisked away.
Trump, in a brief Fox News interview, promised more details in a Saturday morning press conference, hinting at future U.S. involvement in Venezuela's oil industry to stabilize the region. theguardian.com Analysts suggest the operation may have been facilitated by internal betrayals within Venezuela's military, allowing U.S. forces to penetrate airspace defended by Russian-supplied systems with minimal opposition.
As footage of the bombardment and helicopter assaults continues to emerge, the world watches to see if this bold move signals the end of Maduro's 13-year rule or the spark of a broader conflict in Latin America. For now, Caracas awakens to a new reality: the echoes of explosions fading into an uncertain dawn.